Don't go, father, don't go

Atelic Dickerson is a scientist with an important mission. He's the head supervisor of the stasis process for the colony ship Indomitable that will be traveling to Trappist-1d, a planet almost 40 light-years away. But his mission today had nothing to do with science but family. He came home to say goodbye to his son and wife since they won't be traveling with him.

"Father, you're home!". Anselmo, a delicate features eight years old boy said with happiness flowing out of every pore in his lithe body. Suddenly, sadness hit him like a comet impacting a planet. "I don't want you to leave, father, I love you…" then looking back at his mother, unnoticed by Atelic, "…we love you".

The scientist loved the woman, once. But after the birth of his son, she became weak-minded and not worthy of his genius. That's why he never asked her to travel to the stars with him, even if that meant leaving his son behind, on Earth. "I know you do, my dear boy, but as you know, I am a scientist with a crucial job in a very important mission that needs my knowledge to achieve its goal".

“But, father, why don’t you take us with you?” He pleaded.

“It is a dangerous mission, my dear son, and we are not allowed to bring kids along because we’ll be traveling to a planet called Trappist-1d in the Aquarius Constellation, 40 light-years away”. His son stared back with a blank look on his face so he tried to simplify the concept, “it’s over 9 trillion kilometers, which is a nine with twelve zeros after it”.

Anselmo still didn’t understand such distance, and his face still showed it.

"Look at it this way, my son. It is so far that we'll be traveling in space for almost a century before we reach that planet. That's why my job is of the utmost importance. I'm the head supervisor for the stasis, which is a process in which certain chemicals are pumped into our bodies to put us to sleep without growing old. It's the only way to travel that far away".

“Yes father, I understand how important your job is, but why can’t we go?” Anselmo insisted with that particular single-minded focus of his, like a ferret with his prey.

“We designed a special cocoon that creates a stasis field that envelops the human body and protects it from danger”, Atelic was having trouble using simple language to explain complicated things to his son. “Time is suspended inside a stasis field. It’s like a clock that stops until told to continue working, and resume counting time as if it has not passed at all”, looking at his son’s face, he knew the boy did not understand one single word.

"Yes father," he said with filial devotion, "but I don't want you to leave us. Can you get some other scientists to do your work so you can stay with us?"

“The stasis field also protects the body within, from damage due to accidents, like a hull breach or even a crash landing. We'll spend over eighty years traveling in the stars before we reach our destination because we’ll be traveling at less than half the speed of light”.

“Father…” Anselmo waited a few seconds for his father to focus on him, “bad things happen around me when I get angry”.

"The truth is, my son," he said not paying attention to his son’s words, "that after so many years of rigidity inside a time capsule, even if it seems that no time has passed, people will need assistance to regain their normal body functions. Muscular stimulation will occur at regular intervals to keep the bodies in shape, but atrophy still will cause some tissue damage, and people will need a lot of physical therapy before they'll be able to walk normally".

“But, father, I need help. I have a health condition, and mother can’t help me overcome it without your help, you’re a scientist”.

“You are not ill, my son. There is nothing wrong with you”.

“But, father, bad things happen around me when I get angry”.

“Our son does have a delicate brain condition, Atelic”.

“Come on, Ilasha, you know that is not true. Every time you’ve told me about it, I have paid doctors to examine him and they have not found a single bit of evidence that something weird is happening with his brain waves”.

“But Atelic…”

“Zip your lips, Ilasha, and, please, keep them zippered! I’m not going to listen to any more of your whining”.

Anselmo's look changed. If he loved his father, he loved his mom much more, so he became angry with his father for disturbing her. "Father", he said with the uttermost seriousness, "don't treat mom like that. After a few seconds trying to calm himself, Anselmo said again: “Father, bad things happen around me when I'm angry. That’s why I need your help".

“My job is very important, Anselmo”, he kept ignoring his son’s supplication once again, “so, that there are no other scientists as well prepared as me to assume the responsibility of taking care of the colonists, during the whole process of stasis”.

“I don’t understand, father, why mother and I can’t be colonists too?”

"Not all colonists will be awakened at the same moment. You see, my son, our ship will be carrying limited supplies, enough for the few humans that will come out of stasis to direct the work of the robots that will build the farms to feed the colony. Only then, my son, I can start organizing the suspension of stasis and bring people back to their normal live":

“I don’t want you to go, father. We need you”.

“Oh, for Pluto’s sake, Anselmo, will you stop whining like your stupid mother?”

"Don't call her that!!!" He cried. "I hate you; I hate you; I hate you, and I don't want you to go. I won't let you go; you will not go!!!" He yelled in madness.

And, just like a magic act, Atelic disappeared amidst a few wisps of blue smoke left behind.